Santini's work and Baroque will promote the Opus Santini project

Panenské Břežany (near Prague) – The work of Czech architect Santini and Baroque will be promoted by the Opus Santini project; a number of organizations are preparing special events leading up to the 300th anniversary of his death, which falls in 2023. Jan Blažej Santini Aichel became famous for his style of Baroque Gothic. Representatives from the Ministry of Culture, the Prague Archbishopric, Charles University, and the Santini Pilgrimage Association today signed a memorandum concerning the project, symbolically in the Chapel of St. Anne in Panenské Břežany, which was designed by Santini himself.

The anniversary of the architect's death will be commemorated by many programs and activities throughout the Czech Republic, often associated with his works, of which there are dozens in the country. "Our idea is not to create a single central event, but basically to attempt to assemble a whole series of small projects at various levels," said architectural historian Jiří Kotalík. According to him, this will include local and possibly regional projects that may, in some cases, overlap. Events such as exhibitions, concerts, conferences, and so on are being planned.

According to Kotalík, Santini is an architect of European stature, distinguished by extraordinary inventiveness, creativity, and vast knowledge of mathematics, geometry, and art.

The Chapel of St. Anne next to the recently renovated castle in Panenské Břežany is Santini's first completely original project. A significant renovation of the local park is expected by 2023. The Central Bohemian Region is currently evaluating the tender for the designer of the modifications, which will cost millions of crowns, with the exact amount to be determined after the project is completed. The castle building houses the Memorial of National Oppression and Resistance.

Santini's crowning work is the Church of St. John of Nepomuk at Zelená Hora. In Central Bohemia, one of the most significant works is the restored Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist in Sedlec near Kutná Hora, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Jan Blažej Santini Aichel (1677-1723) has Italian roots, having been born and died in Prague.